Birthday Girl (2024)

April 4, 2024 (DK) • Drama, Thriller • 90m

Overview

On a cruise ship bound for the Caribbean, 42 year old Nanna has invited her daughter Cille and her best friend on a cruise to celebrate Cille's 18th birthday. The expectations are high, and they have big plans set for the three days aboard the cruise. But on the first evening, the dream vacation descends a nightmare, and Nanna realizes that in order to get justice, she must take matters into her own hands.

Director

Michael Noer

Writers

Michael Noer, Jesper Fink

Top Billed

Trine Dyrholm

Keywords

birthday nightclub cruise melancholy teenage girl psychological thriller sexual assault mother daughter relationship

Where to watch

Check streaming options on TMDB

Top Billed Cast

Trine Dyrholm

Nanna

Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl

Cille

Maja Ida Thiele

Lea

Herman Tømmeraas

Kevin

Jenilyn Olivar-Grinkin

Amy

Sebastian DeMots

Bacon

Keith Eric Chappelle

Jerome

Nathan Popa

Ryan

Viktor Bjerke Hofgaard

Mats

Thomas Aasgaard Kristiansen

Thomas

Hans Kristian Õis

Hans

Luke Rahmanova

Cleaning Lady

Muhammad Abdullah Siddiqui

Waiter

Martti Vaske

Dr. Esko

Solace-Rose Naa Kwaaley Quartley

Miranda

Gurpreet Singh

Guard

Jene Walker

Guard

Rowell Joel Lao Malabanan

Guard / Cabin Attendant

Ardo Asperk

Helgi Ilo

Elderly Woman

Heli Jürisson

Woman in Cabin

Mauricio Tiik

Young Man

Denise Fontoura da Silva

Karaoke Host

Erica Marie Henahan

Young Woman

Mirell Sork

Ioana

Michael Bridgett

Passenger

Joseph Charles Grannum

Passenger

Ana Arruda

Passenger

Jorge Alberto Sanchez Ramirez

Waiter

Hongbo Zao

Waiter

Erkki Tikan

Captain

Yimeng Cui

Ship Worker

Nitesh Narayanan Nair Sobha

Ship Worker

Margus Kobing

Lonely Man

Crew

Michael Noer

Screenplay

Jesper Fink

Screenplay

Rene Ezra

Producer

Michael Noer

Director

Matilda Appelin

Producer

Vebjørn Mjelde Roen

Visual Effects

Ole-André Hestetun

Technical Supervisor

Henry Cummings

Visual Effects

Thomas Solberg

Visual Effects

Tom Joelsen

Post-Production Manager

Heli Jürisson

Casting Director

Gristina Pahmann

Makeup Designer

Sissel-Maria Mägi

Production Manager

Martin Oja

Location Manager

Jacob Thuesen

Editor

Angela Aadusoo

Key Costumer

Dylan Richard Hopkin

Colorist

Piret Krustok

Digital Imaging Technician

Jaak Sova

Art Department Coordinator

Kaspar Sellin

Graphic Designer

Margot Privoi

Assistant Location Manager

Daniel Lindvik

Production Manager

Søren Schwartzberg

Production Design

Jennifer Õun

Makeup Artist

Katariina Rebane

Script Supervisor

Madli Maasikas

Makeup Artist

Andreas Kask

Producer

Kristjan Kurm

Sound Recordist

Pille Küngas

Costume Design

Kristel Muiste

Production Controller

Matilde Matvere

Third Assistant Director

Christian 'Krølle' Pedersen

First Assistant Director

Jette Keedus

Second Assistant Director

Helen Lõhmus

Line Producer

Carsten Richter

Foley Artist

Frank-Leander Sapego

Second Assistant Camera

Henrik Zein

Executive Producer

Siri Schippers Skaar

Sound Editor

Gro Therp

Casting

Kreet Maurer

Wardrobe Supervisor

Adam Wallensten

Director of Photography

John Cato L. Finnebråten

Visual Effects Supervisor

Kaarel Tiidus

First Assistant Camera

Anne-Louise Lucas

Associate Producer

Bror Kristiansen

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Aslak Lytthans

Gaffer

Nils Aré Viken

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Enar Tarmo

Stunt Coordinator

Peter J. Spence

Visual Effects Supervisor

Nils Aré Viken

Supervising Sound Editor

Jan Andresson

Boom Operator

Esko Rips

Executive Producer

Marleen Pärn

Production Coordinator

Tõnis Pill

Third Assistant Director

Kelly Väli

Third Assistant Director

Heli Jürisson

Third Assistant Director

Alice Aleksandridi

Choreographer

Leika Leemets

Digital Imaging Technician

Martin Tennokene

Key Grip

Swapnil Arjun

Key Grip

Heikki Leis

Still Photographer

Gert Mäll

Boom Operator

Janette Sabul

Art Direction

Kaia Tungal

Art Department Coordinator

Ott Tiigirand

Best Boy Electric

Janar Hakk

Electrician

Andres Arukask

Electrician

Reimo Paevere

Electrician

Aivo Rannik

Electrician

Toomas Tatar

Electrician

Juss Rebane

Electrician

Hisham Sharafeddine

Boom Operator

Uku Talmar

Art Department Coordinator

Fey Piir

Assistant Art Director

Doris Altmets

Property Master

Emma Tilk

Property Master

Riho Vahtras

On Set Props

Joonas Hirv

Set Dresser

Rein Kutsar

Set Dresser

Allar Sild

Set Dresser

Taavi Parek

Set Dresser

Keijo Preem

Set Dresser

Ralf Jeeser

Set Dresser

Imre Paabo

Set Dresser

Meinar Mäesalu

Construction Manager

Merlit Veldi

Makeup Artist

Küllikki Pert

Extras Makeup Artist

Kaia Pihlak

Extras Makeup Artist

Johanna Velt

Extras Makeup Artist

Liina Pihel

Extras Makeup Artist

Triin Leppik

Extras Makeup Artist

Tanel Saar

Fight Choreographer

Roman Burkovski

Stunt Double

Rauno Linnamäe

Special Effects Coordinator

Ronet Tänav

Special Effects Technician

Tanel Luige

Special Effects Technician

Niels Gramsen

Special Effects Technician

Ayron Alliksaar

Special Effects Technician

Birgit Sitska

Casting Assistant

Marii Ingriin Saaremäe

Casting Assistant

Peeter Mander

Location Assistant

Kristian Daniel Esko

Location Assistant

Sten Toom

Location Assistant

Daniel Weis

Foley Artist

Morten Fagelund

Sound Editor

Nils Aré Viken

Sound Designer

Nils Martin Larsen

Original Music Composer

Christel C.D. Karlsen

Line Producer

Signe Baasch

Post Producer

Magnus Ramsdalen

Co-Producer

Sveinung Golimo

Executive Producer

Reviews

CinemaSerf

⭐ 6/10

July 24, 2025

“Nanna” (Trine Dyrholm) has a strained relationship with her daughter “Cille” (Flora Lindahl) and so invites her and her friend “Lea” (Maja Ida Thiele) onto a Caribbean cruise to celebrate her birthday. The boat duly sets sail and the girls meet “Kevin” (Herman Tammeraas) and his brother “Ryan” (Nathan Popa) and they all let their hair down. A trip out to the boat deck for “Cille” doesn’t not end well, and now distressed, hungover and unable to recall just what did happen, her mother is convinced that she has been raped. She reports her suspicions to the authorities, but with her daughter unwilling to undergo any sort of medical and the ship being in somewhat muddy international waters, they claim their hands are tied and so it falls to “Nanna” to try to identify and shame the culprit. The question is, with “Cille” remaining adamantly uncooperative with her mother, even in private, is she going to get the right man? Too much of this drama is based on the scare factor of the alleged deed and nowhere near enough on developing a characterful story that engages. We are selectively drip-fed information that is manoeuvring us to a series of conclusions that I felt distinctly uncomfortable about. On the one hand we have a “victim” who refuses to incriminate her offender - but is that because there was no offence, or because she doesn’t remember, or because she is ashamed or a bit of all three? Meantime we are encouraged to see one of these young men as a cocky sexual predator without really having any more to go on than a kiss and her mother’s guilt-ridden suspicions. From here on in the scenarios lurch around in a fashion that might be intended to convey the exasperation of “Nanna”, but by presenting an entirely one-sided perspective I actually started to dislike this woman, quite intensely. The denouement is something straight out of Agatha Christie, with an all too convenient wrapping up of events that is every bit as obnoxious as the crime itself. To really get to the heart of depictions of sex crimes like this, you can’t just sail along encouraging the audience to make assumptions about boozed-up responsibility and consent without far more substantial characterisations otherwise it just perpetuates man-hating attitudes that help no one.

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